Rail-joint.



J. W. FLOWERS & L. H. JERNIGAN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED rnB.11,19o8.,

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

.TOHN W. FLOWERS AND LEE H. JERNIGAN, OF PORTLAND, FLORIDA. V

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN W. FLOWERS and LEE I-I. JERNIGAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Walton and State of Florida, have invented centain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification. 4

This invention relates to rail joints, and has for an object to provide a joint whereby the meeting ends of two rails may be effectively connected without the use of the well known fish-plates; means being provided whereby said rails are allowed to expand or contract during changes of temperature without affecting the joint.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is atop plan view of the meeting ends of two rails showing the construction of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the rail sections, Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the other rail section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a rail joint 10 including two rail sections 11 and 12 respectively.

The section 11 consists of a base flange 13, a vertically extending web 14, and the tread flange 15. It will of course be understood that each rail section will have its ends formed in the same manner, and it is thought that a description of one end of each section will suffice for both. The web 14 at its outer end is enlarged as shown at 16, and this enlargement is preferably of a width equal to that of the tread flange 15. The tread flange 15 is cut away as shown at 17, thus providing an outwardly projectin portion 18 of the enlargement 16. The en argement 16 at its outer end is provided with an outwardly extending wedge tongue 19, as shown. The enlargement 16 at its outer end is thus provided with vertically extending shoulders 20 and 21 respectively which are arranged to lie at both sides of the tongue at the inner end thereof. Inwardly of the shoulders 20 and 21 the enlargement 16 is provided with similar shoulders 22 and 23 respectively. The base flange 13 at its outer end is cut away as shown to form shoulders 24 and 25 respectively.

The section 12 consists of a base flange 26, a vertically extending web 27 and a tread flange 28. The web 28 is enlarged at its outer end as shown at 29. The tread flange 28 is arranged with a portion 30 projecting outwardly of the enlargement 29. The enlargement 29 is provided with a vertically disposed wedge shaped groove 31, and this groove is thus arranged to engage the tongue 19. When the groove 31. is engaged with the tongue 19 it will be seen that the portion 30 of the flange 28 is supported upon the portion 18 of the enlargement 16. Outwardly of the groove 31 the enlargement is provided with vertically extending flanges 32 and 33 respectively, and these flanges are thus arranged to engage the shoulders 22 and 23. The flanges 32 and 33 at their lower ends are extended at an obtuse angle as shown at 34, and these flanges are thus supported upon the shoulders 25 when the sections 11 and 12 are connected. The provision of the flanges 34 is such that shoulders 35 are provided at each side of the groove 31, and these shoulders are thus arranged to engage the shoulders 20 and 21 of the enlargement 16.

It will thus be seen that a simple and effective joint is provided, and the construction of the section 11 is such that the section 12 may be conveniently connected therewith without the use of fastening bolts or fishplates.

What is claimed is:

A rail joint comprising two rail sections, one of the sections having a vertically disposed wedge shaped groove, adjacent to its outer end opening at the bottom of the rail section, the rail section having its tread portion extending outwardly beyond the groove, flanges at the sides of the rail section and disposed adjacent to the groove, the other of said sections having an outwardly extending tongue disposed in the groove of the first named section, the last nenied section having In testimony whereof We afl ix our signaa portion of its tread out away lnwardly of tures, 1n presence of two Witnesses.

the tongue to receive the outwardly extending JOHN V. FLOWERS. tread portion of the first named section, and i LEE H. J ERNIGAN.

Witnesses:

D. M. MoLEAN, ALBERT J ERNIGAN.

5 shoulders located inwardly of the tongue and disposed inwardly of the flanged portions of the first named section. 

